If You Can’t #BeBest, #BeOriginal…Are We #Winning?

IN THE HEADLINES

Freelancers need protection too, writes Elisabet Cantenys in Open Society Foundations. Freelancers are especially vulnerable as their next job depends on their reputation…EVERY…SINGLE…TIME.

Justin Trudeau and a host of Canadian leaders call out social media platforms to discuss the online harassment experiences of women leaders, particularly’s Alberta Premier @RachelNotley who has received death threats via social media.

Groundviews is running a long-form series on online harassment and its chilling effect on women in politics.

The student government president at American University is suing Andrew Anglin of neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer for coordinating a troll storm against her on social media, The Washington Post reports.

Tackling Online Hate and Harassment at RightsCon

Next week, founder of TrollBusters Michelle Ferrier will speak on a panel at RightsCon Toronto. The “Take Back the Net: Innovations in Tackling Online Hate and Harassment” session will highlight organizations battling the chilling effect online harassment has on journalists, women, people of color and others. The panelists will discuss efforts to solve online abuse, even as tech companies struggle to find solutions. Check out all the themes of RightsCon Toronto from May 16-18.

WATCH as founder of TrollBusters Michelle Ferrier speaks on a panel at CUNY J-School’s Social Media Weekend about supporting journalists in the face of online harassment. [June, 2016]

World Press Freedom Day | May 3, 2018

According to the United Nations, World Press Freedom Day is a day to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in their line of duty. #WPFD, on May 3, 2018 inspired and informed us. Here are our top ten tweets from this year’s campaigns for safety and freedom of expression.

Above:@ThisIsAfricaTIA tweeted 10 things to know about World Press Freedom Day. Number 3 on their list: Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights states that everyone “has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to see, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

And below, our nine favorite tweets of #WPFD that help describe the deadly issues of press freedoms and the new states of media oppression growing in the United States and around the globe. We especially call out the work of Nighat Dad and Digital Rights Pakistan in providing safety for women journalists.

ON YOUR TO-DO LIST

Here’s What You Can Do

What can you do today to make yourself safer online and off? Clean up your digital footprint with our 16-lesson Digital Hygiene Course.